


Missed Opportunities (A Back To Central City One-Shot)

by liquidheartbeats



Series: Back To Central City Collection (Main Multichap+ Flashbacks + Filler chapters) [2]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-13 19:30:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17493908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liquidheartbeats/pseuds/liquidheartbeats
Summary: Three times life got in the way of Barry and Iris (from Back To Central City) being totally, completely honest about how they felt about each other.





	Missed Opportunities (A Back To Central City One-Shot)

Barry raised a shaky hand to Iris’s apartment door but lowered it just as fast. He ran his sweat-slicked palm through what had been fluffy blow-dried hair.  
  
Flat lifeless hair was the least of his worries, though, since he was, once again, letting his nerves edge out his desire to finally tell Iris how he felt about her.  
  
“Come on,” he said to himself. “You can do this. There will never be a more perfect time.”  
  
It had taken almost two years, but Iris had finally healed from Eddie Thawne's death. These days, she was thriving—happier than she’d ever been before. As for Barry, he would never be completely over the death of his parents, but he was healing too finally, mostly because of Iris’s unrelenting support of him. Add in the fact that the city was relatively safe, there really was no better time than to see if they could possibly move from friends to something more.

Barry might not have thought of himself as the most handsome, successful, or even the most interesting, but he knew how special their friendship was. A bond like theirs didn't come around every day. It was special. At least to him. Hopefully, Iris would think so too.

Special enough to breed something more.

He raised his hand again, this time determined to go through with it. His knuckles just brushed the door, when it gave way in front of him. He nearly tripped over the threshold, but the shock of seeing Scott Evans, Iris’s boss, standing there, knocked him back on kilter.

“Scott? Evans?”

“Yes?” Scott asked, a befuddled look painting his face, but it was the fabric which decorated his body, or the lack thereof, that concerned Barry.

He was wearing black dress pants, and an unbuttoned White collar shirt, looking just way too comfortable in Iris’s apartment.

“Oh, um,” Barry said, attempting to jar words loose, as his brain processed the reality in front of him. The absolute only reality that would have Scott standing in Iris’s apartment, this time of the evening, half-naked.

“Umm.” Scott parroted back, eyebrow quirked.

“Babe, who’s at the door?” Iris called out from what sounded like her bedroom.

“Someone who knows me, apparently!” Scott yelled, continuing as he turned back to Barry, “But won’t tell me what he wants.” He waved a hand in from of Barry’s face, though that didn’t move him.

“What are you talking about?!” Iris yelled back.  
  
The next Barry heard was the sound of a door closing, which meant that—

“Barr,” Iris gasped when her eyes met his. She, unlike Scott, was dressed fully, probably because she’d had more time to put her clothes back on.

The thought made Barry roll his eyes, though he knew he had no right to be upset with her. This was his own fault. Friends for 20 years, and yet, he’d never been able to admit how he felt.With a woman as beautiful as Iris, it was like playing Russian Roulette with his heart. Scott’s laugh brought him back from his internal pity party.

“Oh, so _this_ is your friend I’ve heard so much about?”

“Yeah,” Iris said weakly, eyes darting around the room, landing on every single thing except Barry’s eyes.

Barry stood, stone-faced, unable to say anything, though Iris’s presence made this painfully real for him. Scott looked back and forth between them for a moment, but if he noticed something was off, he sailed past it, like he wasn’t the least fazed by Barry’s presence.

“Nice to meet you man,” Scott said, extending a firm hand. “I’m Scott. As you know.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Barry finally said. He shook the other man’s hand in return. “And yeah, Iris told me about CCPN’s new editor, but not her new boyfriend,” he added, hoping he wasn’t overstepping, but not caring nearly enough if he had.

"Editor-In-Chief," Scott corrected him.

"Right." Barry deadpanned.

Both men turned towards the approaching clack of Iris's heels.

“You didn’t tell your friend about us, sweetie?” Scott asked, scooping her body closer to him.

“Not yet,” Iris said, teeth gritted. “But I was really soon,” she said, words laced with regret, as she turned from Scott, towards Barry.

Barry nodded, unsure if she was sorry that she’d kept this from him, or if she’d been found out. Either way, seeing the woman he’d been two seconds away from proclaiming his love for, hugged up with another man—her boss, of all people, was not an image his brain processed kindly.

It stung his eyes, and burned the inside of his nose, as tears threaten to ruin the poorly acted façade he was keeping up. But what burned the most was realizing that Scott must have been the reason she’d been so happy lately.

And there he thought that it had been the time they’d been spending together. _You never had a chance, man._

“Anyway, nice to meet you, Barry,” Scott said with a smile.  
  
“You too.” Barry nodded half-heartedly. It was all he could do to tell Scott how everything about this meeting was the exact opposite of nice.

“And I apologize for the awkward encounter.” Scott motioned towards his scantily clad body. “I didn’t know Iris entertained in her apartment this late. Well other than me,” he said with a laugh.

“Scott.” Iris jabbed him in the ribs. “We’re best friends, we grew up together.”

“I’m joking,” he said, kissing her on the cheek, and it was then that Barry realized he’d seen enough. “He’s basically you’re brother right?”

"No! Friends." Barry and Iris yelled simultaneously. It made them look at each other, but only for a moment, for Scott cut in with...

"My bad, my bad. Okay, 'friends' Scott said, accompanied by air quotes. "Trust, I know how serious titles are. I can't wait for the day I can proclaim to the world that Iris is my girlfriend." He said, returning his hand to her waist.

"Yeah," Barry said, eyes fluttering in near disbelief. “I’ll let you two enjoy your evening,” he said, backing up out of the door.

“No. Wait!" Iris yelled. You don’t have to leave, Barr. Scott was on his way out.” She looked to Scott to confirm.

“That I was," he said, on cue. "Just had to come visit my baby before heading back to CCPN for a nightcap,” Scott co-signed her. “Unfortunately, there’s always work to be done.”

Iris let out a nervous laugh. “Yeah. Unfortunately. Uh, did you need something, in particular, Barr?” She asked, as Scott released her to button up the rest of his shirt, and look around for his phone.

He shook his head. “No, not in particular. Just wanted to hang out and talk. Like we do. I mean, did. I guess.”

“Well, we still can. It’s only 7. I don’t work tomorrow.”

“Ah, ah, ah,—“ Scott said, slanting her a glance.

“Well, I don’t clock in tomorrow. But I _do_ actually have to meet with my source tomorrow to beef up my expose, as Scott loves to say,” she said, cutting her eye over to him.

Scott chortled. “Well don’t sound so excited about it, babe. It’s gonna pay off, just you watch.”

Iris pushed her hair behind her ears. “Yeah. I bet it will.”

“Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He kissed her once more. “And I hope to meet you under proper terms. Barry,” he said, as he passed him.

Lips pinched, Barry nodded. “Of course.”

With that, Scott was gone, leaving only Barry and Iris in her apartment. Well, other than the awkward silence that lingered between them, as they held each other’s gaze.

Iris cracked first.

“It’s not what you think,” she blurted, drawing a look of confusing from Barry, who couldn’t even begin to hide his judgment.

He pushed air from his lips. “Really? Cause it looks like you’re sleeping with your boss, who actually seems to be a lot more pleasant than you described him to be.”

Iris teetered on the right words but gave up. “One, that’s not ‘boss’ Scott you just met. 'Boss' Scott is a completely different energy. And second, okay, that is what you think, even though we were only making out just now. But—“

“But…”

“Please, sit down,” Iris asked motioning towards the couch.

  
Barry sighed but did as Iris asked of him. He plopped onto one side of her couch, Iris, the other. After a moment of silence, Iris turned to him.

“When I said it’s not what you think, I didn’t mean that we aren’t sleeping together. Obviously, we are.”

“Obviously,” Barry said, voice flat.

“What I meant is that I’m not exchanging sex for a promotion or anything like…”

“Please.” Barry rolled his eyes. “ I know that.” Not that it made this any easier to digest. “I know you aren’t like that.”

Iris let out a sigh of relief. “Well, I appreciate that. When people hear ‘girl sleeps with boss’ they usually assume ‘banging for status,' not love.”

Barry’s brows merged into one, the blank expression falling completely from his face. “What!?”

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought you were going to say you were dating. But in love?Already?”

Iris laughed softly. “You say that like it’s been a week or something. We’ve been dating for three, almost four, months.”

“Since when? This is the first time I’ve seen him at your place. And I’m here more than I’m at my own home.”

“Well, we had to keep things quiet, for obvious reasons.”

Barry nodded in silence, a light chuckle dancing in his voice. Iris started to speak but stopped herself. A beat later, she pushed through her reluctance. “You seem...more upset about this than I thought you’d be. Do you not approve?”

“No.” _I love you. I want you to love me. I can’t believe I came all the way here for this bullshit._ “I just thought we were friends,” however, is what came out. “Closer than that. But I had no idea.”

Iris laughed. “We are friends. Best friends,” Iris said, resting a hand on his knee. “I was going to tell you. I was trying to prolong the awkwardness, Barr.”

“Well so much for that.”

“Aww come one, Barry. I know that new relationships always take a little getting used to, given how close we are. But I know you’ll love Scott as much as I do.”

Pure happiness radiated from her voice. It made him want to smile, even if his body wouldn’t comply. Iris deserved to be happy, especially after what she’d endured with Eddie.

“Does he treat you well?” Barry asked finally, lips tight.

“When he’s not ragging on me about my articles?” Iris asked, rolling her eyes. “Yeah.”

“I’m serious, Iris,” he said, voice stern.

“Aww,” Iris said, “My BFF cares about little old me, doesn’t he?”

_More than you even know. More than you’ll ever know._

Iris playfully rolled her eyes again at his continued silence. “Yes, Barry. He’s great. Very kind and respectful. Funny.”

Barry nodded.

“I know it’s still weird, but it doesn't feel weird to us.”

“So you’re happy?”

“The happiest I’ve been in a while. Scott is just--”

“Then that’s all that matters,” Barry said, cutting her off. “At least to me.”

Iris simpered on his face, then grabbed his hand. He glanced up at her sparkling eyes

“The fact that you approve of our relationship means everything to me. If only getting dad’s blessing was this easy. He,” she continued, dropping his hand, “is going to freak out.”

Barry laughed, mostly cause she was being generous. ‘Freak out’ was what someone in Iris’s position could hope for, with a father like Joe West.

“Any ideas to break the news to him?” She asked, hopeful.

“That, my friend,” He said as he rose from the couch, “You’re going to have to figure out on your own.”  
  
Iris sighed, folding her arms. “Just gonna leave me hanging huh?”  
  
“That I am.” Barry said, turning towards the door.

“Wait.” Iris rose from the couch and walked over to him.

“What?”

“I’m just...happy that you're happy for me. Cause it’d feel weird being with someone you didn’t approve of. ”

“Yeah, well. No worries there.” Barry smiled. It was thin, and nearing dangerously to a trembling grimace, but he held it together.

“Goodnight, Iris," he said when he felt his eyes getting heavy.

“Goodnight.”

Outside in the hall, once Iris closed her door, and he’d heard her footsteps fade back towards her bedroom, Barry rested his head against the wall, fists clenched, eyes, free from Iris’s lingering star, releasing a steady stream of tears.  
  
He was too late.  
  
_Again._

  
*******************************************************************************************

“What the hell is this, Iris!?” Scott slammed his article on the desk of her in-home office, which was mostly used these days for planning out her adult literacy class at the Keystone Women’s shelter than actually writing.

At least when she wasn’t being Scott’s unofficial, overworked assistant.

“What are you talking about?”

“I asked you to edit this piece for me, but you completely skipped over half of it.”

Iris scrunched up her face and picked up the paper. Her eyes widened when she realized only half of it was marked in her red pen. “Oh, I must have overlooked it somehow. I’m sorry, I’ll finish it.”

She picked up her pen and tried to complete what she’d skipped. As she scanned the page, she could feel his eyes burning through her in that way they did when she upset him.

He used to only look at her, as well as the rest of his employees. like that, when he was on the clock. Two years into their marriage, though, it had become a fixture of their home life as well.

“What?”

“I am on deadline, Iris,” he bemoaned. “This time you’re taking to go over what wrote, I could be on my next article.”

“I know. I’m sorr—”

“These are rookie mistakes!” He smacked his fist into his hand. “All those hours I poured into mentoring you. And you're wasting them."

“I know, Scott. Okay? But I’m fixing things,” she said furiously scanning the document to find the errors she’d skipped.

“You’re fixing mistakes that shouldn't have been made. How the hell do you miss half of the paper? You’re not blind.”

“No, I’m stressed, Scott!” Iris yelled, balling up his paper and throwing it onto the floor. "I'm stressed!"

“Did you ju—”

"I haven’t worked in what, six months,” she continued, cutting him off.

He rolled his eyes, the subtle hint of a smirk decorating his face.

“And yet, somehow, I never have a free moment to myself. If I’m not hosting dinners for your editor friends, or some local celeb you’re trying to get in good with, or some fucking politician, I’m being your copy editor, unpaid mind you— and—“

“Unpaid?” He scoffed.

"I'm not on your payroll," she hit back, crossing her arms.

“Unpaid? You think This house? That car you drive? Those designer clothes? Are free? If that's not payment, what do you call that?”

“A marriage, Scott! You help me. I help you. That's what a marriage is! At least, that’s what if started off as. Lately you. You—“ Iris cut herself off, her voice trembling wildly. She’d learned the hard way that letting her emotions get the best of her wasn’t how to get through to Scott.

Unlike the start of their relationship, where he was loving and attentive to her feelings, now they just made him angry. But somehow, that realization, plus this outburst on his behalf, and the very damning fact that she didn’t have a support system, outside of him, was too much.

Tears soon flowed from her eyes, freely and violently. Ashamed, she covered her face, but it was no use. Silence followed as she attempted to get a hold on it, cause she just knew that it would be no time before Scott derided her further.

Emotions were a waste of brain power, to him.

But to her surprise, Scott didn’t jump down her throat this time. Instead, Scott walked over to her and perched himself against her desk. A heavy sigh followed. “You’re right, I’ve put a lot of pressure on you. And...I’m sorry.”

Iris looked up at him, reluctantly, and intense sincerity blazed through his eyes. Kindness even. Love. “Seriously?”

He nodded, fervently. “Yes, seriously. I have been stressed to high hell lately. Between getting settled here, my new position at The Keystone Times, and trying to live up to my predecessor…”

 _And getting pissy about my Flash coverage_ , Iris thought but didn’t say.

“... But I shouldn’t take it out on my beautiful wife.” He thumbed her chin with such care, it almost caused her to smile. Almost. “I forget how sensitive you are. And—” his voice cut off, when his phone, from the other room, rang. “I have to get that. I’ll be back.”

He stood, then noticing his crumpled up article on the floor, bent down and picked it up. With a deep, self-soothing breath, he unfurled it and sat it in front of her. “Please finish for me, okay?”

Iris nodded solemnly. Scott tilted his head, taking in the sight of her. Then he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. “I love you. You know that, right?” He asked, face to face.

“Yes,” she said slowly. “I know.”

“Good.”

With Scott gone, Iris picked up her red pen, and combed over his unedited document, as, slowly but surely, her waterworks started back up.

 

 *******************************************************************************************

  
Three hours later, Scott was gone. He’d headed back to the office for his evening shift, leaving Iris alone in their condo. With no more articles to edit, or lessons to plan out, she was bored out of her mind.

Boredom could be filled, though. It was the growing tension with Scott that had her nerves rattled. Sure, he apologized, as he usually did. But he didn’t use to have to apologize so frequently.

Their relationship had changed on so many fronts, in such a short time span. They’d gone from head over heels in love, to more of a transactional relationship. And while Scott may have provided more on the financial front, her role as his wife was a full-time job. For their relationship to be so contentious, it was wearing on her.

After all, this was the man she’d left her family for. The man she’d left her best friend for. The man who she believed in so much, she just couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that he had nefarious intentions for The Flash. Jealousy, sure. But who wasn’t jealous of time to time?

No matter what position Scott boasted, or accomplishments he had under his belt, no matter how big of a space he occupied within their profession, and how much his attention had flattered her, and affirmed her, he was still only human. And all humans came with faults. Maybe his irrational hatred of The Flash was one of his.

She’d stayed with him, because of this fact, hoping they’d come out stronger on the other side. Hoping that she’d one day see that she’d made the right decision, instead of ending up being another young woman who’d gotten in over her head, and diving into marriage. Hoping she’d one day be able to prove to him that he was wrong about The Flash. Because, God, did she miss Barry.

Iris picked up her phone and thought about calling her father. Even though she hadn’t been home in a while, they still talked semi-regularly.

Maybe he would have some advice about how to deal a marriage once the honeymoon stage was over. Her and Scott’s was long over. Her parent's relationship ended tumultuously—both times—but they did have a couple of good years together before she let the drugs take over.

But then again, Iris thought, her father was great at sniffing out cracks. And even though it would be nice to lean on him, his papa bear instincts would override his ability to be impartial or fair to Scott. All he’d hear was that some man, whose job prevented his daughter from visiting home the way he’d like her too, was making her cry.

No. This was a phone call she needed to have with a peer. A friend. If only she had one. She sighed, wistfully, looking around their spacious condo. Iris had been in Keystone a little over a year, but she’d not made any close friends.

The few acquaintances she’d made all worked in the industry.

They either would be too blinded by Scott’s position to understand or voice their opinions, or they would, but would eventually use her discontent against her. To edge out what they felt was indirect favoritism. Which was ridiculous because she and Scott didn’t even work together anymore, and yet, Iris was still much integrated that world because of all of the balls and banquets he dragged her to.

She set her phone down, making a mental note to put more effort into making friends. Just because she wasn’t working right now didn’t mean she had to lose every bit of her identity. She’d always been a social butterfly, with a healthy friend group.

She sighed, leaning back into her chair, trying to ignore the painful reality that no friend group would ever be complete without her best friend. The guy, who after nearly twenty years, she’d just tossed aside like a dirty rag doll — at least from his perspective. It didn't matter that she had good intentions, he thought she just didn't care about him.

And she had to live with him living in that version of events every day. God, she thought about Barry every single day. What he was up to these days. How he was doing at his job. What new adventures he was off getting into as The Flash.

He was always off limits during her conversations with her father, much to his disapproval. But he’d mostly respected her decision. She knew, deep down, that she wouldn’t be able to keep him at arm's length if they talked about him.

She wouldn’t be able to keep him safe from Scott’s skepticism, or his hunger for a good expose.

She also wouldn’t be able to keep her complicated feelings for him, that was growing stronger and stronger, the longer they stayed out of touch, hidden and safe.

“Fuck it,” Iris said, aloud. She missed her best friend. She needed her best friend. More importantly, she loved her best friend, a love that preceded her migration to Keystone, her short-lived new job, her marriage to Scott, and even her relationship with Eddie. "

Iris snapped up her phone but set it down just as far. “No. You’re being emotional right now. You have to think logically,” she said, parroting Scott’s advice that he would give to her anytime she wasn't thinking clearly.

She shook her head, hoping to affirm herself. Scott was still thirsty to expose The Flash, so a phone call would only complicate things, assuming Barry even wanted to talk to her. She’d not heard from him in a year. And with how badly she’d ruined their friendship, she knew she didn’t deserve to.

But what if she was wrong. What if he would be receptive to talking, if only for an evening. Maybe he wasn't so angry, that he couldn't catch up with her.

Still unsure, she clicked off of her phone dialer and decided to take a baby step, by peeking in on his social media activities. She'd unfollowed him long ago, to prevent her from being tempted to contact him, and though she'd been too afraid to see if he'd returned the favor, she was sure he'd done the same for her.

He wasn't on Twitter, so she decided to look up his Instagram account. She doubted she’d find anything new on it. He used it so sparsely, but maybe—" She gasped, at what she saw, once his profile loaded.

It was a picture of just a woman's hand, with a sizable ring on her finger. The caption simply said, " she said yes!" The photo was dated with today's date. "Wait. Is he—" She said, unable to believe her eyes, Iris's fingers raced to the comment section for the unwelcome confirmation.

Sure enough, there were nearly two dozen comments from the people closest in Barry's life, and some she didn't recognize, but attributed to this faceless woman, congratulating them on their engagement.

A harsh cry, born from the depths of her gut, escaped her mouth, one that surprised even her. She pressed her hand to her mouth to stifle it as if there was someone around to hear her. But there wasn't.

She was completely alone in her office, situated inside this expensive condo, once made of dreams and fairy-tale love expectations. Alone, too, in this life, she'd made in Keystone.

Alone and crying, that is. Over the fact that Barry Allen, her best friend, and the man she loved so fiercely, she'd been afraid to admit—even to herself—was getting married.

She'd waited too late.

*******************************************************************************************

Barry’s hip lurched forward, his hands grinding themselves into Iris’s ass, as he released. “Oh, Iris, God, Iris," he sang her name like a song, as he emptied himself in inside of her.

“Yes, baby, cum for me,” Iris cried out, head pressed into her pillow, fingers clutching themselves around her sheets.

Thoroughly,empty, Barry, though he never wanted to exit her body, pinched his nearly overflowing condom at the base of his manhood, and with a harsh grunt, eased himself out of Iris, careful to prevent any spillage.

He zipped himself into the bathroom, and discarded the used contraception in the trash, before speed dousing his body with a shower gel and water soaked washcloth. All clean, he soaked a separate one for Iris, filled a basin of water.

He thought about running them both a proper bath to allow them to soak away their night of passion, but he wasn’t in a bathing mood. Not in any rush to completely wash her perfume from his skin. Not any hurry to leave the site of their first-time together.

Back in her suite, she’d already collapsed onto their lip-stick stained sheets. Her entire body was limp, her breathing still erratic. Taking a seat on the bed, he placed a hand on the small of her back. She settled into his touch.

“Finally, you’re back.”

He huffed, playfully. “I was gone maybe a minute.”

“Too long,” she crooned, over her shoulder.

He shook his head to himself. He loved when she let her guard down and expressed her neediness. More importantly, he loved being the person that she needed.

For so long, he'd given up on thinking she’d ever love him in return. And yet, she’d loved him all along. And now they’d expressed that love, in the most sacred physical capacity.

He still couldn't believe it. “Mind if I clean you up?” He asked, trying to ease away from the surrealness of it all. For he would surely start crying.

And he would not be the man who cried during sex. He'd keep his dignity, and cry after Iris had fallen asleep.

“No. I’m a sticky mess.”

“I can run you a proper bath—“

“Noo,” she moaned, sheepishly.

“Are you sure?”

“Maybe if you hadn’t just fucked the shit out of me.”

Barry‘s lips turned upward into a self-assured smile. “Hey, you gave as good as you got.” He rested a hand on her ass.

“Puh-lease,” she said. "I might have to rethink what I’d gotten myself into. I’m not 21 anymore.”

“No, but you are 31, and more beautiful than you’ve ever been in your life.”

She smiled, taking in his compliment, then moaned. “But my knees. I think I need new ones."

Barry laughed. She was so dramatic.

“Yes, well, If you turn over for me, we both can get some rest, until check-out time.”

Slowly, Iris pushed her tired body over so that he could access the areas in dire need of a scrub down. He couldn’t help but trail his eyes down the body responsible for giving him more pleasure than he’d ever thought was possible. A body he’d been honored to touch, to enter, to make love to. Even with her slightly frizzy hair, splayed out in a crown around her head, she was breathtaking as she basked in the afterglow of their dalliance.

He parted her legs, and soaped down her intimate areas, washing away the slickness, before dipping it into the water. A few more swipes to wash away the soap, and he was done. "All clean.”

“Thank you, baby.” Iris reached down for his hand. He took it, and she gave it a squeeze. “For everything.”

“And thank you. For everything.” A goofy smile spread out over his face, causing Iris to laugh.

“God, I love you," she said, overcome with fondness.

“I love you more,” he replied sweetly, before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her thigh. Then the other one, before sliding his tongue up, and placing a firm kiss at her center.

“Oh, no, Allen. Above the waist for at least 24 hours,” she teased, the contact causing her womanly essence to twitch. But there was no way she could handle another round.

“24? How about 12?” He asked as he walked back to the bathroom to return the basin.

“Maybe if I didn’t work tonight and tomorrow. I’m already going to be a sleepy mess.”

Back in the room, Barry laughed, as Iris had pulled their previously discarded comforter back onto the bed, and was underneath it, eyes pressed tight. Barry slid into the bed, and scooted his body so that he was pressed against her.

He tried to clasp his hands around her waist, but she turned, swiftly, and settled her head against his chest, and perched one of her legs over his.

“Okay, that works too,” he laughed.

“Good.”

“Comfortable?”

“Better than any pillow,” she doted.

It was his turn to inquire. "Seriously?"

"Yes," she replied, absently. "No other place in the world I'd rather be."

He could hear the exhaustion in her voice. And though he knew she needed her rest, he just didn't want this moment between them to end.

He let out a soft sigh, but not one so soft Iris didn't hear. "You okay, honey?" She asked, rubbing her hand up and down his abs underneath the comforter.

"I'm better than okay. This is all I've ever wanted in life. To have you." His voice trembled on every single word. If he wasn't fighting so hard to keep his tears at bay, he would have cared. But it was a losing battle either way.

He knew she'd heard.

And indeed she had.

It caused Iris's own emotions, those she was trying to keep down into the pit of her stomach, to rise up. After years and years of a loveless marriage, she'd just had sex with a man who worshiped the ground she walked on. Who loved her, unconditionally, despite her many, many faults.

Who was so moved by their first time, he was two seconds away from breaking down in bed.

"God, Barry," she whined, bring the hand on his abs, up to his face, "Don't cry, babe."

He cleared his throat, wiping his tears way. "I'm sorry. I can't help it. You're not just the best part of my life, Iris. You are my life. And what we just shared, no dream or fantasy I've ever had, came anywhere close to this moment for me."

"Oh, babe," Iris said. She leaned her head up, peppering kisses all over his face "I love you, I love you, I love you so much."

"And I love you," he continued, as did the stream spilling from his eyes.

"Baby," Iris said, palming his face. "I can't take you crying. Even if it's absolutely adorable," she said, stealing one more kiss. "I'm going to start myself.

Barry laughed, shaking his head. "We might both just have to cry then. I'll never get over you telling me you love me. For a long time, I thought I was never going to even see you again. And."

"Oh, Barry," Iris said, pressing her eyes shut. No matter how much she loved Barry, or how she intended on proving to him how much she did indeed value him,she didn't know if he'd ever get over her abandoning him all those years. Especially if they never even talked about the reason behind it. "I never wanted—"

A knock at the door stopped her in her tracks. "Turndown service!" Yelled a woman from the other side of the door.

And it was in that moment Iris realized it was time for her to check out. It was okay though. She and Barry had had a wonderful, life-altering, soul-quaking, morning, however short-lived.They had plenty of time to delve more deeply into the pain of their past. Fully. Honestly. Completely.

Hopefully, all of the time in the present, as well as the future.

**Author's Note:**

> This is technically three flashbacks, even though the third one is more recent. You should be able to figure out the timeline by the context of events happening. 
> 
> But for those who want the breakdown: 
> 
> First scene was about six- years prior to the start of the story. Scott and Iris had just started dating. 
> 
> Second scene is four years prior to the story. Scott an Iris have been married for over a year. Iris and Barry have been estranged one year. 
> 
> Last scene: Right after Barry and Iris's first time. Less than a couple of weeks before where the story left off. 
> 
> The point of this one-shot, which is honestly longer than some of my chapters, is to give more backstory into key events in Barry, Iris, Scott and Patty's history, and also establish more of Iris and Scott's relationship, particularly, Iris's POV.
> 
> As far as the new chapter, pray for me. It's kicking my butt. But I do hope to post it soon. 
> 
> As always, I appreciate you for reading! And I hope you enjoy! :)


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